Department Store

San Diego -- At its first Smarter Commerce Global Summit, IBM announced a range of wins with clients across global industries. By deploying solutions for Smarter Commerce, these clients are capitalizing on rapid shifts in customer demand, improving their performance and appeal to new digital age consumers, IBM said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Express announced Wednesday that it has promoted Matthew Moellering to the position of COO and appointed D. Paul Dascoli as CFO.  Moellering was previously chief administration officer and CFO.  

Prior to Moellering's role as chief administration officer and CFO, he held a number of senior finance positions including CFO since he joined Express in 2006. Before joining Express, he served in various financial positions with Limited Brands and Procter & Gamble. Prior to that, he was an officer in the United States Army.

West Mifflin, Pa. -- Atlanta-based Jones Lang LaSalle announced that it was named as the property and leasing manager for Century III Mall, a 1.2 million-sq.-ft. regional shopping and retail center located in West Mifflin, Pa., near Pittsburgh.

The mall houses more than 100 retail shops, anchored by Macy's, J.C. Penney, Sears and Dick's Sporting Goods.

Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. -- Mid-America Asset Management announced that among the new leases the firm has signed in July and August, there were several large transactions spread across Chicagoland, Southeast Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana.

In Aurora, Ill., home furnishings retailer Premier Furniture Outlet leased 38,975 sq. ft. at Aurora Marketplace, opening in September 1. Anchors include Sports Authority and Hobby Lobby.  
 

New York City -- Shopping-center sales in November and December are expected to increase 2.2% relative to the same period a year ago, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. In 2010, the holiday season posted a 5% gain following two back-to-back declines during the 2007-09 recession.

The organization has forecast that U.S. holiday sales in 2011 will post a moderate 3% gain, down from 2.1% last year.
 

September may seem a bit early to put out a holiday toy list, considering most consumers just finished spending for back-to-school and still have Halloween to think about, but garnering media attention is important. Many retailers who have a hand in toy retailing will put out some sort of toy list, and Walmart is among them. However if it continues the trend of last year, Walmart won't release its list until early November, which is more in line with when consumers begin thinking about holiday shopping.

Seattle -- Nordstorm plans to open a Nordstrom Rack in Manchester, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.
 
The new 35,000-sq.-ft. store is scheduled to open in fall 2012. Construction of the store will begin immediately, according to Mark Sedgwick, managing director of St. Louis-based Pace Properties, L.L.C., which will develop and own the building where Nordstrom Rack will be located.
 

Short Hills, N.J. -- The Mall at Short Hills, in Short Hills, N.J., is now home to new retailers Omega and Pandora, which opened recently in the regional shopping center. Omega opened a flagship store near Nordstrom on the upper level, and jeweler Pandora opened on the lower level near Macy’s.